The subject matter to be disclosed relates to a navigation system, which uses voice guidance.
A navigation apparatus having a voice-based route guidance function has been known for some time. The voice route guidance function is a function for outputting, in the form of a voice output, guidance information, such as the name of an intersection, the distance to the intersection, and directional guidance when a vehicle approaches an intersection where either a right turn or a left turn will be made. A navigation apparatus having a voice hazard location warning function is also known. The voice hazard location warning function is a function, which records a location, where an accident has occurred in the past, or a location, which a user feels is dangerous (hereinafter referred to as hazard location), and when the vehicle approaches a hazard location, performs a voice output of hazard location information, such as the distance to the hazard location, and the type of hazard associated with this hazard location based on this record.
There has been an increase in navigation apparatuses like those described above, which perform voice route guidance and/or hazard location warnings by outputting guidance information and/or hazard location information (hereinafter referred to as voice message). Route guidance and/or a hazard location warning by outputting a voice message must be performed prior to reaching the intersection and/or hazard location. However, in a case where voice messages must be overlappingly outputted as a result of multiple intersections and hazard locations existing within a certain range (for example, a case in which the output of a certain voice message must commence before the output of a different voice message has ended), the vehicle may reach the intersection or hazard location, or travel past the intersection or hazard location before the outputting of the voice messages has ended.
To solve for the above-mentioned problems, the following navigation apparatuses have been disclosed.
For example, a navigation apparatus has been disclosed in which a priority is stipulated beforehand for each voice message, and in a case where outputted voice messages overlap, the voice messages are outputted in order beginning with the voice message having the highest priority (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-236029).
Furthermore, for example, there has also been disclosed a navigation apparatus, which stipulates a priority beforehand for each voice message category, such as traffic information and route guidance information, determines whether or not multiple voice messages are to be overlappingly outputted based on the time when a voice message is outputted and the time when the vehicle arrives at an intersection or a hazard location, and in a case where the result of the determination is that voice messages will overlap, outputs the highest priority voice message (Japanese Patent Publication No. 4682658).
According to the conventional navigation apparatuses described hereinabove, the sequence of the voice messages when voice messages are overlappingly outputted is in accordance with the priority of the voice message, and this priority is a predetermined fixed value. Thus, the voice message output sequence is not always suitable to the state of the vehicle.